Page 16 - TD-3-1

Tumor Discovery

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Effect of 900 MHz radiofrequency

electromagnetic radiation emitted from
mobile phone on testicular immunity and the

associated risk of testicular germ cell tumor

Fesih Ok *, Mustafa Emre , Atil Bisgin , Samir Jafarguliyev , Ibrahim Boga ,
1
3
3
1
2
1
4
5
Salih Cetiner , Gulbanu Yesyet , Emine Bagir , Yildirim Bayazit , and Saban Doran 1
4
1 Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
2 Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
3 Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
4 Central Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
5 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey
Abstract
The emission of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) from mobile
phones has been implicated in causing inflammatory changes in the testis.
Nevertheless, the direct association of these changes with the development of
testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) remains unclear. Therefore, we purposed to
investigate the effect of RF-EMR exposure on inflammatory changes in the testis,
*Corresponding author: cytokine gene expression levels, and the incidence of TGCT. Twenty male Wistar
Fesih Ok albino rats were randomly assigned to either the study or control groups. The study
(drfesihok@gmail.com) group was exposed to RF-EMR at 900 MHz, 26 V/m, and a specific absorption rate
Citation: Ok F, Emre M, (SAR) of 0.14 W/kg for 4 h/day over 8 weeks. Histopathological analysis, vitality
Bisgin A, et al. Effect of 900 MHz analysis using Annexin V, and real-time polymerase chain reaction for the analysis
radiofrequency electromagnetic
radiation emitted from mobile phone of interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma
on testicular immunity and the (IFN-γ) cytokine gene expressions were performed on the testicular tissue. The
associated risk of testicular germ median testis weight (163.0 g [133.0 – 183.0] vs. 179.0 g [134.0 – 195.0], P = 0.012) and
cell tumor. Tumor Discov. 2024;3(1): 3 3
1703. volume (0.95 cm [0.800 – 1.400] vs. 1.100 cm [1.050 – 1.500], P = 0.031) of the study
https://doi.org/10.36922/td.1703 group were significantly lower compared to the control group. The seminiferous
tubule damage (P < 0.001) and interstitial edema (P = 0.042) were significantly higher
Received: August 29, 2023
Accepted: November 30, 2023 in the study group. The tunica albuginea thickness was significantly reduced in the
Published Online: February 19, study group (P < 0.001). The fold changes in the expression levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ
2024 increased significantly in the study group. Our findings indicate that RF-EMR exposure
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). causes structural, histopathological, and inflammatory toxic effects on the testis. The
This is an Open-Access article observed elevation in gene expression levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ cytokines following
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution RF-EMR exposure suggests their potential role as regulators of TGCT initiation,
License, permitting distribution, thereby offering a viable potential therapeutic target in combination with current
and reproduction in any medium, treatments. Nonetheless, future well-designed studies are necessary to validate our
provided the original work is
properly cited. findings.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with Keywords: Radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation; Testis; Inflammation; Testicular
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional germ cell tumor
affiliations.

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2024) 1 https://doi.org/10.36922/td.1703